Wounds of Earnhardt's death still deep after 12 years

A shaken NASCAR President Mike Helton sat in front of a room full of reporters and said “We lost Dale Earnhardt.” Earnhardt had crashed on the last lap of the Daytona 500, killing him.

Grown men cried.

Drivers stood stunned.

NASCAR nation mourned.

In the days, weeks, months and years after Earnhardt's death, anyone who followed NASCAR, had an affiliation with NASCAR or was just an Earnhardt fan, was in a fog. The seven-time champion was gone and the series would never be the same again.

So when people ask — why isn't NASCAR as popular as it was 20 years ago? — that's the short answer.

Earnhardt was NASCAR and when he died, a generation of fans did too.

There are other factors that have played into NASCAR's decline in popularity. The struggling economy has combined with the rising costs of tickets. And then there's been an influx of what some would describe as “whiny kids” with drama on their minds instead of driving.

That's changed the culture of the sport somewhat, too.

NASCAR's coverage on TV and the Internet has improved 10-fold in the last decade, which has kept some fans at home, instead of heading to the track.

But certainly Earnhardt's crash in 2001 changed the culture of NASCAR.

When Earnhardt died, he was — by far — the most popular driver on the circuit. He was the driver who was loved and hated the most. ABE — “Anybody But Earnhardt” — some would say.

Fan or not, Earnhardt was respected by drivers in all series.

“He's the greatest there ever was,” NHRA driver John Force said after learning of Earnhardt's death. Force ended the interview, unable to control his emotions.

Earnhardt was the Intimidator — a driver whose mirror-like glasses combined with an unmistakable bushy mustache didn't need words to get his point across.

When Earnhardt left a doughnut on a door panel, the point was made. He took the “rubbing is racing” motto with him wherever he went. Fans loved it. Jokes were born from it.

And when Jeremy Mayfield nudged leader Earnhardt on the final lap of the 2000 Pocono 500 to take the checkered flag, Earnhardt took it in stride.

If that happens Sunday, we'd see a fist fight and a bunch of guys crying into microphones.

Earnhardt didn't need a microphone to tell an opposing driver what he was going to do.

Times have changed. Today drivers tweet immature messages like little boys fighting on a school playground.

Earnhardt sent his messages with his front bumper, a glass-mirrored stare or a rare smile.

Twelve years after his death, Earnhardt remains the irreplaceable link between NASCAR and thousands of fans unable to fill that void.